#1 Moving forward without giving in

 

Inside Michael’s private room, on the king-size bed.

Anna is buried deep in a down comforter as light as a cloud.

“Kuuu⋯.”

Anna’s sleeping expression was the most peaceful in the world.

The face was full of the afterglow of a long time spent.

The Flame Magic Tower Lord, a face that only those who know her by her confident appearance as a young genius magician will never see.

Michael quietly got out of bed without waking Anna and sat down on the corner of the bed.

He stared blankly at Anna, who was naked.

‘What does this woman mean to me?’

A person to satisfy my desires. That was the first thing that came to mind.

Even the noble hero Michael has a man’s desire.

Anna was more than enough for him. No, more than enough.

But is that all? Is this just a one-dimensional relationship?

‘He is also the colleague I chose.’

Anna is one of the few colleagues Michael can trust.

He is competent enough to meet Michael’s exacting standards, and there is no need to fear betrayal.

However, the word ‘colleagues’ is not enough to describe their relationship.

Then, perhaps—

‘Do I love this woman?’

Michael stared intently at Anna.

I watched it for a long time, but no special feelings came out of it.

At least that’s what he thought.

Michael doesn’t know what love is.

Of course I know the dictionary definition.

We just don’t know how that emotion actually works in the human mind and in what way it manifests itself.

Michael is a hero loved by everyone, but ironically, he himself does not know how to give love to others.

“Phu-”

Anna tossed and turned. The blanket slid down, revealing her rounded shoulders.

Michael got up from the bed after covering himself with the flowing blanket again.

Just like Anna, the statuesque naked body, still in its original form, slowly walked towards the window.

“⋯.”

Beyond the darkness of the silent night, the imperial palace is visible.

The great palace, which stood proudly, as if looking down upon all the people of the empire, was even taller than the spires that were used to worship the gods.

Michael’s eyes grew cold.

‘Love doesn’t matter anyway. But.’

Michael looked at the palace.

“What do I truly desire? What do I desire? What do I aspire to become?”

This is an important issue.

Michael, revered as a hero by the world and trusted as the Emperor’s most sacred sword.

The ambition hidden deep in his heart is unknown to anyone except his trusted colleagues.

One day the Emperor of the Empire would have to give up his lofty and magnificent throne to Michael.

‘Will I be satisfied once I ascend to the throne?’

I wanted to think that way.

I hoped that this long, arduous journey would end with me taking the absolute throne of the imperial palace.

No.

Michael knew best that this was not the end.

Michael, who had told tens of thousands of lies without changing his expression, could not lie to himself.

He wanted what was next. He wasn’t satisfied with a throne or anything like that.

However, it was frustrating because I didn’t know what would happen next.

“A realm no one in this world has ever explored. A grand realm beyond the mere imagination of an imperial emperor. That’s what I desire.”

Fragments of vague thoughts quickly flashed through Michael’s mind.

The truth of the world.

The true ending.

⋯Hidden ending.

Michael didn’t understand the meaning of all those words.

It was a series of words that he could not have guessed.

This was the limit of Michael, the resident of the game.

A being who cannot set his own goals.

I just yearn endlessly.

Longing for something that is forever out of reach.

Kuk.

Michael clenched his fist tightly.

I lifted it up with all my might over the large window.

It was suffocating. My chest was so tight that it was hard to breathe.

I felt like I needed to crack the window open and breathe in the night air right away to relieve the stuffiness even a little.

Thick veins bulged across Michael’s forearms. His muscles were tense.

“Phew.”

Michael didn’t end up striking with his fist.

It wasn’t because I was afraid of getting hurt.

If you break the glass, it will make a loud noise, and Anna will definitely wake up.

I didn’t want to wake him up. I wanted to leave him to sleep peacefully.

“Estelle Frostwind.”

Michael hummed softly.

I pictured the face of a short, pretty girl.

One of his greatest enemies.

A disaster that is resurrected over and over again no matter how many times it is killed, and whose very existence mocks the law of life.

Of course, that’s a thing of the past.

Now that he’s been trampled and knocked down hundreds of times, Richie poses no threat to Michael.

‘Do you know?’

Richie was the only one who understood Michael’s longing.

A person who covets what should not be coveted.

One who seeks to lift the curtain of the world and look behind it.

Rich and Michael were mortal enemies, but they had the same vision.

Michael wanted to meet Richie.

I wanted to meet you and ask you.

“Rich, I want to ask you. What awaits you at the end of this world?”

The quiet night deepened.

***

I walked through the forest, the captain of the guard following behind me.

The captain’s face was set in a hardened state.

Thud, thud.

In the quiet forest of midday, only the sound of two people’s footsteps could be heard softly.

We didn’t say anything the whole time we were walking.

It wasn’t an atmosphere for laughter and chatter.

That’s understandable, because I finally delivered Yuria’s letter.

At first, the captain of the guard doubted the authenticity of the letter.

—Even if it’s you, I just can’t believe it. Is there any proof that this letter was actually written by Yuria?

—But Estelle, you wouldn’t fool me, would you? There’s no one to gain from such a vicious prank. Don’t worry about it. I don’t blame you.

—You have no choice but to go and check for yourself. I’ll guide you.

As we entered deeper into the forest, a familiar landscape appeared.

The basin where the robbers became food for the Nightwolf.

The robbers’ bodies were completely gone, leaving not a single bone behind.

In the flow of nature and time, human traces are quickly erased.

And then, a cabin came into view.

“It’s here.”

It was the first time in hours that I spoke.

The captain nodded with a stiff face.

His beard was growing out in spiky patches, as if he hadn’t shaved it this morning. His cheeks had also become pale in just one day.

The captain opened the cabin door and looked inside.

I pushed through the dirty world and looked at the old bed where Yuria’s body had been lying for a long time.

And then, I found Yuria buried behind the cabin.

Even though she was half-decayed and her appearance had changed significantly, the captain of the guard immediately recognized Yuria.

“Yuri⋯!”

He sobbed.

The heartbreaking crying continued, as if the world was falling apart.

All I could do was stay by his side.

The hot midday sun passed over my head and gradually set towards the west.

As time passed, the captain of the guard lifted his face, his tears drying.

“⋯Thank you.”

The captain of the guard spoke with difficulty in a hoarse voice that was difficult to understand.

“You took Yuria in. You even took revenge on those bastards. Both of those things were things I, as your older brother, should have done… I owe you a debt that cannot be expressed in words.”

The captain of the guard took a small ring out of his bosom.

He held out the ring to me.

“Please accept it.”

“Okay. I didn’t do it for the reward. Don’t worry about it.”

I was sincere.

Although I am a profit-seeker to the core, the process of helping Yuria and informing the captain of the guard had nothing to do with such profit and loss calculations.

I just did it because I wanted to.

“No, it’s a ring that embodies my oath. I must accept it.”

“⋯Oath?”

“I owe you a great favor. So, I pledge to be your strength someday. Consider this ring a symbol of that promise.”

The small ring placed on the captain’s palm sparkled.

This is not an ordinary ring.

Artifact, Ring of the Chronic Waiting.

A top-tier ring that permanently absorbs a portion of a strong monster’s abilities whenever it is killed.

The chances of this artifact appearing in-game are extremely low.

Since the locations and methods of appearance are different in each game, you may not be able to see it even once throughout the entire game.

But, can I really accept it?

“Estelle.”

As I hesitated, the captain of the guard patted my shoulder.

“Please. Please accept it. I originally intended to give it to Yuria. Now, I’m sure Yuria wants you to accept it too.”

“okay.”

If I refused any longer, it seemed like it would hurt the captain as well.

I took the ring and put it on my finger.

It was heavy.

It wasn’t the weight of the ring, but the heart contained in the ring that was heavy.

It is the burden of the living that must bear the loss of a loved one.

“Yuria also wanted to be an adventurer. Yes, just like you, Estelle.”

If she hadn’t met a tragic end, she might have traveled to Garden and seen the wide world with her own eyes.

Yuria’s legacy is embedded in this ring, and it will accompany me on my journey through the world.

Life goes on, the will continues.

I stared blankly at the ring on my finger.

-thank you.

For a moment, I had the illusion that I heard a faint voice in my ear.

‘no way.’

I looked around.

In the thick forest, somewhere in the sky, I found Yuria’s figure.

It might be my imagination, but I still hope so.

Shhhh—

The wind blew and the leaves rustled.

We carefully collected Yuria’s remains and returned to Garden.

The way back was warm and sunny.

As if finally freed from a long wait, a warm atmosphere spread through the forest.